Olivia: Could a computer solve a problem in 200 seconds that takes a supercomputer 10,000 years? Hey everyone, welcome to When It Happened. I'm Olivia. Olivia: Today, we're looking at 'Quantum Supremacy,' exploring the race between visionaries at Google, IBM, and labs worldwide. They're harnessing quantum mechanics – using qubits that exist in multiple states at once – to build machines unlike anything before, promising to tackle humanity’s biggest challenges. This isn't just faster computing; it's different computing. And this abstract race had a concrete starting pistol fire, a moment that announced the quantum age was truly dawning, shifting everything. Olivia: Picture it: October 2019. Google announces their Sycamore quantum computer achieved 'quantum supremacy.' It cracked a complex problem in just 200 seconds – a task estimated to take the world's mightiest supercomputer 10,000 years. The tech world felt a tremor; some compared it to Sputnik. It was the moment quantum computing leaped from theory into tangible reality, proving the concept in a staggering, undeniable way. 200 seconds versus ten millennia – the scale was breathtaking. Olivia: That 200-second calculation wasn't just a lab result; it's the pivotal moment 'Quantum Supremacy' hinges on. It validated decades of research and billions in investment, signaling that the potential to revolutionize medicine, materials science, and even climate modeling was becoming real. It shifted quantum computing from sci-fi speculation to an urgent engineering challenge, justifying the intense global race. This moment proved the 'impossible' was within reach, changing the entire conversation overnight. Olivia: So, what's the takeaway? One: Stay curious about complex technologies; their impact arrives faster than we think. Two: Recognize that progress often hinges on specific moments that redefine what's possible. That’s our quantum leap for this week! Join me next time on When It Happened for another defining moment.